Law & Disorder: 1 dead, 1 injured after corner store shooting

More public safety coverage

One man is dead and another wounded in what Jacksonville police are calling a drive-by shooting at a corner store at East 28th and Buckman streets.

The unidentified victims, both who appeared to be in their mid-20s, were outside the store when it happened about 11:50 a.m., Sgt. Jay Farhat said. He said the shooter or shooters likely used an AK-47-style rifle.

“From what we understand, one person possibly got out of the vehicle and started shooting and then fled, but nobody can say for sure exactly what happened,” Farhat said.

No vehicle description was available, but witnesses said they heard a vehicle speeding off after the gunfire. The victims were outside Jones and Jones Corner Store, 1630 E. 28th St., when multiple shots were fired.

“We have no witnesses at this point in time,” Farhat said. “We’re trying to determine what happened.”

Dana Treen

Man hit by car while aiding driver has died

An 88-year-old St. Augustine man died late Sunday after his van that was stopped along the shoulder of Interstate 295 was struck in a chain collision in Jacksonville.

The Florida Highway Patrol identified the victim as Joseph W. Grant.

An accident report said Grant was the driver of one of two Chrysler vans stopped northbound just south of Baymeadows Road when the 9:45 p.m. accident occurred. One van was disabled, while the second had stopped to help. According to the report Grant, who owned both vans, was driving the van that had stopped to assist.

The Highway Patrol said a sport-utility vehicle driven by 17-year-old Elizabeth Smith of Jacksonville was heading north when it struck the left side of the van parked behind the disabled van. The van that was initially struck was pushed into a tree after colliding with the disabled van.

Grant died at the scene. Two of his passengers, Joan Jones, 76, of St. Augustine, and Damian Grant, 48, of Jacksonville, were seriously injured.

Nicole L. Dotson, 30, of Jacksonville was driving the second van and was not injured, the FHP said. Smith, the driver of the SUV, suffered minor injuries.

Jim Schoettler

Girl, 12, dies of wounds from April 4 crash

An April 4 crash that injured eight people at Merrill and Townsend roads now has taken its first life after a 12-year-old girl died Friday, according to WJXT TV-4.

Savannah Pheiffer was a passenger in a pickup truck that was rear-ended by a Pontiac that witnesses said was going about 100 mph.

The pickup hit two other cars after getting hit by the Pontiac, police said at the time. At least one other victim was in life-threatening condition.

The unidentified driver of the Pontiac was taken into custody, WJXT said. The case is still being investigated.

Scott Butler

ST. JOHNS

Self-defense claimed in domestic shooting

A 29-year-old man shot early Sunday during a domestic dispute at a St. Augustine home has been identified as Christopher Depriest, according to the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office. But no arrests have been made as the investigation into the shooting continues.

Deputies initially responded about 12:30 a.m. to a report of a domestic disturbance in the 500 block of Florida Club Boulevard, but learned Depriest had been shot twice as they were still driving there, investigators said.

The woman had called a relative who lived nearby for help. The relative and a friend, 59-year-old Philip Orlando, came over. Orlando was being assaulted by Depriest when he shot him, the Sheriff’s Office said.

Self-defense is being looked at by investigators, the Sheriff’s Office said.

Depriest was taken by air ambulance to UF Health Jacksonville, where he is listed in stable condition.